Inzeladun

Sword Blade
the Iron Dragon of Indor

Colossal Great Wyrm Male Iron Dragon
Hit Dice: 40d12+440 (700)
Initiative: +5 (+1 dex, +4 improved initiative)
Speed: 40 ft, fly 200 ft (clumsy)
AC: 42 (-8 size, +1 dex, +39 natural) touch 3, flat-footed 41
Base Attack/Grapple: +40/+72
Attack: Bite +50 melee (4d10 +18)
Full Attack: Bite +50 melee (4d10 +18), Claws +48 melee (4d6 +9), Wings +48 melee (2d8 +9), Tail Slap +44 melee (4d6 +27), 
Space/Reach: 30 ft./ 20 ft
Special Attacks: Breath weapon; crush (4d8 +27), tail sweep (2d8+27), spells
Special Qualities: Frightful presence, spell like abilities, immunities, damage reduction 20/magic, spell resistance 35, blind sense, keen senses
Saves: Fort +32, Ref +22, Will +27
Abilities: Str 47 (+18) Dex 12 (+1), Con 33 (+11), Int 28 (+9), Wis 31 (+10), Cha 31 (+10)
Skills: Bluff +31, Concentration +54, Diplomacy +53, Escape Artist +44, Hide +44, Intimidate +53, Knowledge (arcana) +52, Knowledge (nature) +52, Listen +53, Perform (sexual techniques) +31, Search +52, Sense Motive +53, Spot +53, Survival +31, Use Magic Device +53
Feats: Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Cleave, Snatch, Hover, Flyby attack, Wingover, Great Cleave, Sunder, Multiattack, Improved Natural Attack (Bite), Improved Bull Rush, Awesome Blow, Dire Charge, Dragon Magic [Bonus]

Climate/Terrain: Lands south of Indor
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 27
Treasure: Triple standard
Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Sword Blade is an extremely ancient dragon.  No one knows just how old he is.  He appears in cave drawings that predate the founding of Indor.  The runes of the dwarves of that period write of a dragon they called Dornus Ros ("Sword-Blade").  Apparently he would protect the craft-masters of the dwarves from the orcs during those legendary wars, but he demanded a high price.  Dwarven rune-stones record a meeting between Sword Blade and Anduin the Druid sometime prior to the 100th year of the 5th Age.  He entered human history when Hrodmar Berserks-Killer, and his companions, Ulfhedin Runecaster, Aesa Blood-Axe, and Orkning Raevil's Bane drove Sword Bane away from his dwarven home in 414 V.  They nearly killed the adult dragon, but he survived to terrorize lands south of Indor for the next century or so. In 490 V, Sword Blade took a liking to Indorian beer and mead.  Sword Blade ruled an Indorian kingdom behind the scenes for the next 80 years, then he moved on to another kingdom, and began a systematic slaughter of the southern realms, creating a small empire.  The fey were creating problems for his empire, and he taught his subjects about the weakness iron causes for fey.  Around 690 V he began teaching his subjects how to work with iron, how to create steel.   In 750 V, he had a short battle with Rargad the Red, and was driven from his home back toward the north.  Sword Blade helped to create the kingdom of Maamba, but was driven back south by King Wiglaf of Osgeld in 796 V.  In 818 V, his deprivations sent the Indorians bustling to the sea to loot and pillage other nations.  Sword Blade discovered the ancient ruins of the Atlantean city of Catemar.  Disguised as a mortal, in 870 V, he instigated the rebuilding of that ancient city so that he could loot it of its remarkable magical treasures.  He discovered that his charisma could lead nearly any mortal to follow him, so he began to dwell even more among the mortals, causing them to do things for him.  He fought for years in the Sahuagin-Indorian wars, and killed many sahuagin.  He retreated back to his lair in 967 V when Grindill took a stronger interest in Indor.  He still demanded tribute from local villages and tows for the next two centuries, but has lain fairly quiet for the last 1500 years or so.  If he has been out doing things, he has been sly enough that historians have not been able to put the pieces together.  Rumors persist that he has traveled to Drychtnoth, Zakhara, and Dagam.  Documents exist in Kharzho that bear his signature, but none know for sure if it is really his.  Lately he has been gathering werewolves and other lycanthropes to his region, but his motives are, at this time, unclear.

Sword Blade's real name is Caexuskgaex. Throughout history, however, people have referred to him simply as "Sword Blade." Sword Blade's scales look like moonlight reflecting on a rippling pool. His eyes are dark red in color. He dwells upon high mountains, his lair deep beneath the surface.  His lair is surrounded by deposits of iron.  He hoards iron with more greed than any other metal.  This made him unpopular with mining races, of course.

Sword Blade is stronger than most iron dragons, as well as more charismatic.  He is not quite as intelligent as most great wyrm iron dragons, but he is still far more intelligent than most men.  He loves how dwarves, gnomes, and men work with iron and other metals, and he collects old volumes of the masters, as well as their works.

Sword Blade is covetous. He likes to hoard wealth, collecting mounds of coins and gathering as many gems, jewels, and magic items as possible. He is loath to leave his treasures for long, venturing out of his lair only to patrol the immediate area, to get food, or to seek out information and allies. For Sword Blade, there is no such thing as enough treasure. It’s pleasing to look at, and he basks in its radiance. Sword Blade likes to make beds of his hoard, shaping nooks and mounds to fit his body. Hundreds of gems and coins are imbedded in his hide. Among his treasures are ancient relics of Catemar, remote artifacts from the sahuagin, and the fabled weapons from elder dwarven hoards.  He is believed to own an ancient spelljamming ship recovered from the sahuagin that originated in the First Age Oard.

Sword Blade lives for the day that dragons rule over the humans who infest the world.  He often polymorphs into human form and wanders Indor, interacting with and learning from the Indorians. He has learned of a powerful magical rite that transforms infected lycanthropes into true lycanthropes.  He offers true lycanthropy to any who will swear allegiance to him.  These lycanthropes are a means to his goal of rulership.

Due to years of warring against sahuagin and raiding their underwater lairs, he is a font of information concerning those monsters.

Combat
Sword Blade will not usually attack unless there are intruders in its lair.  He is more concerned with gaining information on events in the world than engaging in battle. He uses his spells and special abilities in preference to physical combat, but will fight if need be.  His favorite spells are those that weaken or incapacitate his opponents, as he accepts the surrender of his opponents.  After all, how can the dragon learn anything if the ones it sought to communicate with are dead?  Of course, such unfortunates are usually eaten after they have supplied all the information they can.

Crush (Ex): This special attack allows a flying or jumping dragon of at least Huge size to land on opponents as a standard action, using its whole body to crush them. Crush attacks are effective only against opponents three or more size categories smaller than the dragon (though it can attempt normal overrun or grapple attacks against larger opponents).

A crush attack affects as many creatures as can fit under the dragon’s body. Creatures in the affected area must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 41) or be pinned, automatically taking bludgeoning damage during the next round unless the dragon moves off them. If the dragon chooses to maintain the pin, treat it as a normal grapple attack. Pinned opponents take damage from the crush each round if they don’t escape.

Tail Sweep (Ex): This special attack allows Sword Blade to sweep with its tail as a standard action. The sweep affects a half-circle with a radius of 40 feet , extending from an intersection on the edge of the dragon’s space in any direction. Creatures within the swept area are affected if they are four or more size categories smaller than the dragon. A tail sweep automatically deals the indicated damage. Affected creatures can attempt Reflex saves to take half damage (DC 41).

Breath Weapon (Su): Sword Blade has two breath weapons: a cone of sleeping gas or a cone of superheated sparks. Both cones are 70 feet long.  The cone of superheated sparks inflicts 23d10 damage (Ref DC 41). Using a breath weapon is a standard action. Once a dragon breathes, it can’t breathe again until 1d4 rounds later. A blast from a breath weapon always starts at any intersection adjacent to the dragon and extends in a direction of the dragon’s choice, with an area as noted on the table below. 

Frightful Presence (Ex): A young adult or older dragon can unsettle foes with its mere presence. The ability takes effect automatically whenever the dragon attacks, charges, or flies overhead. Creatures within a radius of 360 feet are subject to the effect if they have fewer HD than the dragon. A potentially affected creature that succeeds on a Will save (DC 40) remains immune to that dragon’s frightful presence for 24 hours. On a failure, creatures with 4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Dragons ignore the frightful presence of other dragons.

Spells: Sword Blade casts spells as a 19th Level Sorcerer

Spell Like Abilities: 3/day: Polymorph Self, Heat Metal, Detect Thoughts, Wall of Iron; 1/day: Stone Shape, Flesh to Iron

Damage Reduction: Sword Blade has damage reduction 20/magic. His natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. 

Immunities (Ex): All dragons have immunity to sleep and paralysis effects. Sword Blade is also immune to fire and heat attacks.

Spell Resistance (Ex): As dragons age, they become more resistant to spells and spell-like abilities. Sword Blade has SR 35.

Blindsense (Ex): Dragons can pinpoint creatures within a distance of 60 feet. Opponents the dragon can’t actually see still have total concealment against the dragon.

Keen Senses (Ex): A dragon sees four times as well a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision out to 120 feet.

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